Monday, March 19, 2012

The Adventures of Baby Bo: 4 Months

Well, it's that time of the month again. No, not THAT time of the month...I mean that time of the month that you all wait on pins and needles for; that time when I ramble on and on about all the new and exciting things my baby is doing this month, that perhaps he wasn't doing last month. I'll just go ahead and say "you're welcome" now, because I know these are all things you really want to know about, but just don't quite know how to ask ;).
I'll start with the really good stuff. Last Thursday BB had his four month check up, and is doing great. He now weighs 16 lbs 3 oz, putting him in the 75th percentile for weight. He is also 26 1/4 inches tall, putting him in the 90th percentile for height! This surprised me since he doesn't strike me as an incredibly tall baby, but does appear to be quite round. He got two more vaccination shots, as well as the all clear to begin eating rice cereal! I was so excited that right after his appointment I made a quick pit stop by Target to buy cereal, bowls, and spoons. After work Friday night I also bought him a highchair so we can begin experimenting with the cereal this week!
He is excellent at grasping objects and "playing" with them, which is really cute to watch, and also means he can entertain himself somewhat without relying on constant song and dance from Mr. Bo and myself to keep him occupied and content. He is not rolling over from his back to his stomach yet, but can roll from his stomach to his back (He has actually been doing that for quite some time). He is starting to suck on his hands more, which is nice because I'm hoping he will become less reliant on his pacifier now. I try to allow him to get a little frustrated before rushing to his aid every time he fusses so he can learn that he is able to soothe himself. He also is beginning to not need to be swaddled to sleep.We were planning on "breaking" him of the swaddle over spring break, but now I'm hoping for him (fingers crossed) be completely swaddle free by the end of this week. We are also working on helping him to fall asleep on his own and so far, NOT so good. We were so hopeful when, for two nights in a row we were able to put him in bed un-swaddled and awake, and he would fall asleep in minutes with only minimal crying. Since this weekend though, things have completely regressed now that we decided we are no longer going to replace the pacifier every time it falls out (because it happens a lot). Trying to let him "cry it out," even if only for a short period of time, is stressful and heart breaking. I really hope this transition works itself out quickly.
 We are beginning to feel like a more consistent sleeping and eating schedule is just over the horizon, but he definitely still throws some curve balls now and then. For example, we now lay him down every night between 7:00 and 8:00, and he usually sleeps until between 6:00 and 7:00. Sometimes though, he wakes up even earlier and usually ends up throwing in what I like to call a "power nap" about 45 minutes after waking up. These naps usually look something like this...

Baby Bo continues to be the apple of my eye, and the source of all my pride. It is amazing to think back over the past 4 months and realize how much our lives and perceptions have changed. I have quickly learned that spending an hour in front of the mirror each morning to get ready isn't going to work anymore, and that's okay. A majority of our weekends are now spent at home on the couch, and we often times get our kicks from opening a bottle of wine and putting together baby equipment, like a highchair (betcha can't guess what we did Friday night). I love that boy more than I could have ever imagined I would before he was born. Even though I am constantly tired, often frustrated, frequently overwhelmed, and feel as though I have exhausted my patience reserve yet somehow keep finding more, there's not a whole lot I would choose to change right now...Even on those days when I have to tell myself,  "Remember, you CHOSE this." Now if only I could find someone to do the laundry and clean my house for free. :)







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